May 2, 2012
Citypass Fines 12000 Passengers On Jerusalem Light Rail
In the news today, an almost shocking statistic was announced. Since Citypass, the company running the Jerusalem Light Rail, has begun full operation 4 months ago, they have issued 12,000 fines to passengers, totaling 2.2 million NIS.
While that number sounds ridiculously high, Citypass defended itself by saying that that number of fines represents 0.2% of the number of passengers per day. As well, they say that many of the fines (I did not hear a number mentioned) have been canceled after the passenger appeals and shows that the cause was an honest mistake rather than an attempt to ride without paying.
I don't know if that actually mitigates the issue or not, but it sounds like an awfully high number. It even sounds abusive to me. I never heard of so many fines being passed out on other methods of public transportation, such as on Egged or the train.
What has been happening on the Jerusalem Light Rail by Citypass inspectors has been abusive and anything but friendly and forthcoming customer service. Something there in the system needs to be changed.
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I don't know if that actually mitigates the issue or not, but it sounds like an awfully high number. It even sounds abusive to me. I never heard of so many fines being passed out on other methods of public transportation, such as on Egged or the train.
What has been happening on the Jerusalem Light Rail by Citypass inspectors has been abusive and anything but friendly and forthcoming customer service. Something there in the system needs to be changed.
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Can I add another complaint: Yesterday I bought a kartisia on the bus for my RavKav, after I paid for it, the driver says "Sorry, I gave you code 2 instead of 62. Make sure you don't use that ticket on the train!"
ReplyDeleteSo I now have 10 bus tickets that can only be used on buses and not on trains - even though it costs the same price as a ticket that does both. I am scared that I will forget that it is not good for the train (because there is no way of knowing until after I would get on the train and it has started moving). Which means as well as the inconvenience of not being able to use the light rail, I also have to remember to avoid a huge fine.
So when you top up your RavKav - make sure the driver gives you code 62!
the stat 0.2% is just to confuse the non-mathematicians (everyone). that means 1 out of 500 people who step onto the train are getting fined!!!
ReplyDeleteRabbi Sedley:
ReplyDeleteI make sure to recharge my ravkav at the train station - I can pay via credit card.
Ditto what Moshe said - I refill at the train station so I don't have to worry about trying to fish for change while on a moving bus and holding up the line of people.
ReplyDeleteCitipass inspectors are still at it!
ReplyDeleteFYI: Ministry of Transportation website posts summary transcripts of the appeals hearings, 22 cases are online at http://media.mot.gov.il/PDF/HE_HAKIKA/rakevet-kala-arar.zip. The only time passengers have their fine cancelled (5/22) is if they used a family member's card. However in all the cases where the passenger claims they validated, the court ruled with citipass. Even if the person had a VALID maavar! So the claim (at the top of the blog) of cancelling the fine for an honest mistake is A FAT LIE from Citipass and the MOT, in my opinion!
The process of no printed or other permanent receipts on the train extremely favors Citipass. In my case, the Citipass inspectors seized the passenger's Rav Card, and refused to return the card, and did not allow the passenger to move away from them, unless the passenger gave their TZ. All this despite the fact that the passenger was 14 years old and presented a valid PRINTOUT of a bus Maavar. I don't know Israeli law well, but in the US that's unlawful seizure and arrest. It appears to me, Citipass inspector fines are Civil not criminal. In my opinion never, ever give your Rav card to an inspector. In my opinion they behave worse than thieves and animals! BTW, After the child was notified that her card did not validate properly, she kindly requested to validate immediately, and they said "NO!" You have to give us your TZ or you don't get the card back!
Worse yet, Citipass' website (where it pretends to claim you can load a file, sich as pdf for a complaint) http://www.citypass.co.il/ContentPage.aspx?ID=41 has never worked for me for uploading a file (Try it, and let me know if it works for you). Also, Citipass refuses to provide a history of transactions of a passenger. If anyone knows how to get this, I'd be delighted to hear how. Superbus and Egged provide this upon request (up to 6 months or a year, I think).
So in summary:
No receipt upon boarding just a fleeting light and beep confirming validation.
No receipt or confirmation of transaction history ever.
Harassing inspectors, whom in my opinion act as if they are paid on commission, seize cards, arrest (in the literal
sense, don't permit passage) the passenger until they provide the TZ.
Fines that are 3000% the cost of the trip!
And PAYMENT WAS MADE!!! Only "validation" was not done correctly.
It's time Citipass builds a better 2-class detector to distinguish honest mistakes from free-loading riders.
In my opinion, Citipass is negligently supporting a system that discriminates against tourists/first time riders/riders with ADD who may not pay full attention (possibly children or elders?).
Here's some numbers of MOT people -- but believe me it falls on deaf ears.
Reuben Shaked - Appeals committee 02-629-9888
Sima Oded, Leora Yossef - MOT director's office 02-666-3032
Barak Teichman - Assistant Director general of MOT 02-666-3037.
Please, please call them and tell them how dissatisfied you are with Citipass, if you've experience similar stories!
The two Citipass inspectors that I feel behaved inappropriately and possibly illegally are: Sapir Dayan and Rotem Kashi. If these two agents are name on your fine that was an honest mistake, please post back.
If there's any lawyer's who want to start a class action suit. I'm in!
If anyone knows of relevant Hebrew web sites, please post back